Tent-wall clasp.



PATENTED APR. 7, 1903.

No. 724,817. v

' E." COVERT.

TENT WALL CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30,1902.

N0 MODEL.

5 Y INViNTOR. j BY ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENOCH COVERT, OF FARMER, NEW YORK.

TENT-WALL CLAS P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,817, dated April 7,1903.

Application filed August 30, 1902. Serial No. 121,589. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENOOHCOVERT, of Farmer, in the county of Seneca, inthe State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inTent-Wall Clasps, of which the following, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the hook-and'eye type offastening devices, and is especially useful as a tentwall clasp fordetachably locking the wings r flaps of tents in position.

The primary object of these improvements is to simplify the operation ofinterlocking and detaching the parts and at the same time to prevent theaccidental separation of the interlocked sections when in use.

To this end the invention consists in the combination and formation of atent-wall clasp, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are respectively top plan andside elevation of my improved clasp shown in its extended position.Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively face and side views of the parts of theclasp in the position assumed when detaching one from the other. 7

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

In carrying out the objects of my invention I employ two separatemembers 1 and 2, each of which is formed from a single piece of wire,the member 1 forming the eye-section of the clasp and the member 2comprising the hook-section. The member 1 consists of lengthwise andtransverse bars 3, 4, and 5, united to each other and forming acontinuous open frame, the transverse bar 4 constituting the maindraft-bar, with which the hook-section interlocks, and is disposedsubstantially parallel with the other transverse bar 5. These bars 4 and5 are of sufficient length to give a broad bearing upon the article towhich it is secured. The lengthwise bars 3 are united at their oppositeends to the corresponding ends of the bars 4 and 5, and theirintermediate portions are depressed inwardly at 6 for forming. loops 7at their junctions with the bart4 to receive the hooks of the othermember 2. By thus depressing portions of the bars 3 inwardly suitableinclined shoulders 8' are formed between the bars 4 and 5, which preventundue lengthwise movement of the parts 1 and 2 one upon the other whenthey are assembled in the manner seen in Figs. 1 and 2 and also serve tocompress the springjaws or hooks of the member 2 when the parts arerocked to the position seen in Figs. 3 and 4 in the act of disconnectingsaid parts. In the formation of this eye member 1 from the wire of whichthe transverse bar 4 is substantially the central portion, the oppositeends of the wire are bent inthe form shown and described and meet atsubstantially the central portion of the bar 5 and are then soldered orotherwise secured together to form a substantially integral open framewhich may be stamped from solid metal, if desired.

The book member 2 consists of a transverse attaching-bar 10 andlengthwise spring-arms 11, each havinga hook-shaped free end 12, adaptedto interlock with the opposite ends of the draft-bar 4. These arms 11are separated by their own tension a distance substantially equal to thelength of the bar 4, so that the hooks are normally seated in the loopsv7 and permit the members to freely swing backwardly upon each other alimited distance without much friction or liability of becomingdisconnected; but the free ends or hooks are preferably bent laterallyfrom each other at the opposite side of the bar 4 for forming cam-faces13 and terminate in inwardly-curved extremities 14, approaching, butseparated from, each other, and form inclined or curved arms 15. It isthus apparent that the free ends of the hooks lie in planes intersectingthe planes of the arms 11, to which they are united, and that thejunction of the cam-faces 13 and 15 extend outwardly beyond the outerfaces of said arms. Therefore when the members 1 and 2 are rockedforwardly to the position seen in Figs. 3 and 4 the cam-faces 13 rideupon the inclined shoulders 8, which act to compress the arms 11 and 12against their normal outward tension until the high points between thecams 13 and 15 are passed, whereupon the outward spring of the armscauses the inclined faces 15 t0 press against the inner walls of theloops 7 and to thereby forcibly and automatically separate the members 1and 2 from each other. In a similar manner when assembling orinterlocking the members the cam-faces 15 are brought into engagementwith the inner faces of the loops 7 and under pressure by the operator,and by simply pressing the two members together fiatwise the inner facesof said loops operate to compress the arms 11 and 12, and as soon as thehigh points between the cams 13 and 15 are passed the outward spring ofsaid arms causes the cams 13 to ride upon the inner faces of the loops,and thereby automatically completes the work of locking the two memberstogether, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The separation between the ends of the arms 12 is suflicient to permitthe action just described without liability of contact or friction ofsaid end walls, and although I have described this member 2 as beingformed from a single piece of wire it is apparent that it maybe formedfrom a solid piece of metal if this proves to be more expeditious oreconomical.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-- 1. A device of the type set forth comprisingseparate members, one of said members having a transverse draft bar anda bar formed integral with each end thereof, the other member comprisinga transverse bar, and a pair of spring-arms, formed integral therewith,said arms having their free ends bent upon themselves to form hooksadapted to interlock with the opposite ends of the said draft-bar, saidhook portions being bent outwardly and then inwardly and having theirfree ends lying adjacent each other.

2. The combination of a member comprising end and side bars, and asecond member comprising an end, and resilient side arms formed integraltherewith, said side arms extending between the side bars of the firstmember and having their free ends bent to overlie one of the end barsthereof, said bentover portions being curved outwardly beyond theunderlying portions of the arms, then inwardly, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of August,1902.

. ENOOI-I COVERT.

Witnesses:

O. G. WHEELER, D. 0. WHEELER.

